Drumin, William A.

Dr. William Drumin was born and raised in New York City. As a youth, he especially enjoyed going to the movies, including especially Hitchcock movies. After earning degrees in Physics from Fordham College and Mathematics from New York University, he obtained a Ph.D. degree in Philosophy from Columbia University. Since 1971, he has taught in the Philosophy Department at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, PA, where for the past fifteen years he has offered a popular course in the cinematic artistry of Alfred Hitchcock.

2004 0-7734-6292-9Although Alfred Hitchcock has been dead for over 24 years, his films still command widespread public interest and appeal. As true classics, they exhibit a persistent power to engage and enchant that transcends the limitations of time and culture. This work explores on a basic level the sources of the dramatic power of Hitchcock's films.

An introductory chapter gives a brief outline of Hitchcock's career and the primary features of his approach to filmmaking. A concluding chapter surveys the elements of Hitchcock's humanistic vision. Two appendices illustrate Hitchcock's power to reveal inner character through cinematic means.

Through a scene-by-scene analysis of 14 major films, this book examines the modes of cinematic expression through which Hitchcock deploys themes and motifs that express profound philosophical/humanistic concerns and through which he establishes enduring contact with his audience in memorable images, compositions, and montages. For each film, a summary commentary draws together the themes and characterizations to help appreciate the film as a dramatic unity and to relate the film to Hitchcock's broader vision. This work will be invaluable to all in film studies.